Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., got into an argument with a CNN reporter on Wednesday after getting "good news" about possible pay raises for lawmakers.
proposed expense bill Congress is set to give lawmakers their first pay raise since 2009, a move that has drawn mixed reactions across the political spectrum.
CNN host Manu Raju asked Durbin about congressional pay raises, asking: "Congressmen are giving themselves raises. Should you get a raise?"
"Well, that's news to me. That's good news," Durbin responded. "You know it's been 10 or 14 years? No Coke, no change at all? I think it's time to do something."
Sen. Dick Durbin reversed course with a CNN reporter when he was asked about possible pay raises for lawmakers on the Hill.
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When asked again if he supported the raise, Durbin continued to express surprise at the provision, "How could I not know about the raise?"
Raju pressed the senator, suggesting "people will look at Congress' performance and say, 'Why should we give them more money?'"
However, Durbin fired back at a CNN reporter asking how he and his media colleagues were being paid the same when ratings were down.
"What about the media? Think about it," Durbin said.
"Our salaries are not paid with public funds," Raju replied.
"I know you're not," said Dupin. "But I mean, half your audience isn't there anymore. You're still making the same salary. What happened?"
"Well, I mean, you're on taxpayers' dime, I mean, should you get a raise?" Raju asked.
Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiffelbein)
exchanges were discussed Reported by CNN Team They were there to defend their colleague Raju.
"I thought it was interesting this morning. When Manu asked Dick Durbin about it this morning, Dick Durbin didn't know it was on the bill and he argued it was pleasant for him message because it’s been 10 years," said CNN congressional correspondent Lauren Fox.
CNN host Dana Bash added: "As far as his bank account goes, he's a normal guy."
according to a A recent Gallup poll, The news media is "the least trusted group among the 10 civic and political institutions in the United States," with the U.S. Congress only slightly behind at 34%.
free press network indeed hit Since Trump won the election.
MSNBC averaged 807,000 daily viewers, while CNN averaged 488,000. In prime time, MSNBC averaged 1.7 million viewers from 8 to 11 pm (ET), while CNN only had 700,000 viewers.
In early December, CNN's bleak audience numbers were even smaller than TNT's, despite a busy news cycle. food network, Freeform, Discovery, INSP, Hallmark Mystery, TLC, TBS, History, HGTV, USA, MSNBC, Paramount, Hallmark Channel, ESPN and Fox News.
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Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.